This invention relates to an apparatus for processing liquids. More particularly, to an apparatus designed for manufacturing xe2x80x9cliving waterxe2x80x9d.
Magnetic treatment of fluids is known in the prior art. Typically, a magnetic field that reacts with magnetic fluid sensitive particles within a fluid is applied to the fluid passing through a pipe. This coupling leads to a multitude of beneficial effects. Many fluids traveling through conduits contain magnetic field sensitive particles that tend to cling to the inside walls of the pipe. Such fluids include beer, wine, liquor, soda, juices, hydrocarbon fuels, and even water.
Water, being dipolar, can be partly aligned by an electric field which has been shown by the movement of a stream of water by an electrostatic source S. T. Bramwell, Ferroelectric ice, Nature 397 (1999) 212-213. Water is diamagnetic and may be levitated in very high magnetic fields (10 T, c.f. Earth""s magnetic field 30 uT) Y. Ikezoe, N. Hirota, J. Nakagawa and K. Kitazawa, Making water levitate, Nature 393 (1998) 749-750. Lower magnetic fields (0.2 T) have been reported to increase the number of monomer water molecules K. X. Zhou, G. W. Lu, Q. C. Zhou, J. H. Song, S. T. Jiang and H. R. Xia, Monte Carlo simulation of liquid water in a magnetic field, J. App. Phys. 88 (2000) 1802-1805.
Magnetic treatment of water has been shown to change the morphology of calcium carbonate crystals found therein. The effect of the treatment is to change the crystals from dendritic forms to smaller disk-shaped forms. It is believed that the magnetic field affects the hydrogen bonds of the water. The effect of the magnets on the water is amplified by repeated passages of the water by the magnets such that some of the hydrogen bonds of the water complex breaks. The idea is that the breaking up of the (H2O)n complexes somehow releases dissolved ions that promote nucleation of the smaller crystals. Klaus J. Kronenberg: xe2x80x9cExperimental evidence for the effects of magnetic fields on moving water.xe2x80x9d IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, Vol MAG-21, No. 3, September 1985 (2059-2061). According to Kronenberg, magnetic fields can reduce the surface tension and viscosity of water by up to 2%.
Devices which process fluid through a vortex or magnetic field are known. U.S. Pat. No. 5,836,485 discloses a method and apparatus for controlling the flow of material using an electromagnetic valve. The device is used with magnetic material such as toner particles.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,669 discloses an electromagnetic valve for dispensing material from a container. This device is used with molten metal.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,687,766 discloses a cup shaped apparatus for forming a vortex. This apparatus is limited for use as a cushion or support for transporting products by means of the vortex.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,311,907 discloses a vortex driven fluid transfer system for moving nuclear material from one tank to another. This device is limited by its provisions of having no moving parts and relying on a jet ejector to transfer the fluids.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,425 discloses a magnetic apparatus for keeping compounds such as calcium carbonate in solution by exposing the fluid to a magnetic field. The magnetic device is used with a housing that contains a reflecting shields for directing the magnetic flux toward the center of the magnetic fluid conditioner.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,145,291 discloses an apparatus for disinfecting drinking water by flowing the water into a ceramic container with silver ions that are dispersed throughout a ceramic holding reservoir.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,775,486 discloses a filler apparatus that forms a conical stream for dispenses liquids of varying viscosity into a container. This apparatus is designed to prevent foaming by liquids otherwise predisposed to foaming as they are introduced into a fill container.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,763,125 discloses a means for manipulating the path of ionized gaseous fluids escaping from the nozzle of a jet power unit using an electric and or magnetic field. This device is used with jet propulsion systems.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,332 discloses a device for flowing water in a vortex pattern through a magnetic field to a holding tank. The processed water flows to a holding tank where it is stored. The device is used in a pressurized environment for dispensing the processed water to users.
The present device is an improved magnetic water treatment apparatus. Water is induced into a vortex, flows through a magnetic field and an optional paramagnetic collar. Water recirculates through the system four or more times to produce xe2x80x9cliving waterxe2x80x9d.
It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus capable of manufacturing xe2x80x9cliving waterxe2x80x9d.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus that recirculates xe2x80x9cliving waterxe2x80x9d and that is dispensed without having to be pressurized.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a novelty device and in particular to a novelty devise with a pleasing visual effect of the vortexing xe2x80x9cliving waterxe2x80x9d.
These and other objects are met by an apparatus designed to vortex water past magnets thereby manufacturing magnetized water. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for processing xe2x80x9cliving waterxe2x80x9d that includes, an ampul capable of holding water, the ampul having a wide body and a narrow neck, the ampul having an inner surface causing water delivered to the ampul to flow in a vortex; one or more water inlets capable of delivering water to the apparatus; a recirculating ampul for collecting the xe2x80x9cliving waterxe2x80x9d from the vortexing ampul; one or more pairs of magnets aligned around the neck of the ampul; a circulating system that pumps processed water from the recirculating ampul to the vortexing ampul for reprocessing, the circulating system comprising one or more pumps and a conduit connected to the recirculating ampul at one end and the vortexing ampul at the other end; and one or more flow valves connected to the apparatus to control the flow of water through the apparatus.
During use water is processed by dispensing water to a vortexing ampul along the sides of the ampul; flowing the water down the vortexing ampul in a vortex pattern toward the narrow neck; processing the water through a magnetic field created by one or more pairs of magnets; collecting the processed water in a recirculating ampul; recirculating the water from the recirculating ampul to the vortexing ampul; reprocessing the water through the vortexing ampul and the magnetic field; and dispensing the water through one or more spigots.